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to afford him ‘aid and succor in case your [his] ship be shattered or injured; second, to convey this order of recall, in case you cannot land at Fort Sumter, to Fort Monroe, Hampton Roads, there to await further orders.’
In a postscript he was further directed ‘to land his troops at Fort Monroe and discharge the ship.’
The sequel will show that these precautions were useless.
The Star of the West, under the command of Captain McGowan, proceeded on her ill-starred voyage, amid anxious apprehensions for the fate of the recruits and mariners on board.
She arrived in Charleston harbor on the 9th of January, the flag of the United States flying at her mast-head; and whilst endeavoring to approach Fort Sumter, was fired upon by order of Governor Pickens.
She then immediately changed her course and returned to New York.
Fortunately no lives were lost, nor was the vessel materially injured.
This statement of facts proves incontestably that the President, so far from refusing, was not only willing but anxious, within the briefest period, to reenforce Fort Sumter.
On the very day and immediately after this outrage on the Star of the West, Major Anderson sent a flag to Governor Pickens, informing him of the reason why he had not opened fire from Fort Sumter on the batteries which had attacked the Star of the West. This was because he presumed the act had been unauthorized.
He demanded its disavowal, and if this were not sent in a reasonable time he would consider it war, and fire on any vessel that attempted to leave the harbor.
Had he adhered to his purpose, the civil war would then have commenced.
This demand of Major Anderson, so worthy of an American officer, was totally disregarded by the Governor.
Instead of disavowing the act or apologizing for it, he had the audacity, but two days after the outrage, to send the Hon. A. G. Magrath and General D. F. Jamison, whom he styled as ‘both members of the Executive Council and of the highest position in the State,’ to Major Anderson, for the purpose of persuading him to surrender the fort.
In the letter which they bore from the Governor, dated on the 11th January, they were instructed to present to
Appleton and Company, 1866.
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